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My mother-in-law has always wanted to take a train trip. I have never been on Amtrak and don't know which train/trip to take. I want it to be a short trip, not more than 7 hours. She is handicapped and really wants to go just for the experience/scenery. I have thought about the Pennsylvanian. Any ideas or suggestions for me? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Posts: 2 | From: Ohio | Registered: May 2007
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Hi snowball, I think you only have one train to choose from; it's a pity you can't take a longer trip. The Long distance trains are a great experience. You could go to chicago and then from there take one of the three trains to the west coast--if your mom-in-law doesn't mind a long but scenic, enjoyable trip. If she doesn't, just go to Chicago. Plenty to do there. Have fun wherever you go.
Posts: 171 | Registered: May 2002
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I think, given your parameters, if you don't want to overnight anywhere, the only train you can take is the Pennsylvanian east from Pittsburgh. To avoid an oernight, you would have to take it only as far as Harrisburg and back. Nor would you have time to see the capitol in Harriburg, I don't think, esp not with someone in a wheelchair. The station is close to it, but there isn't much time between the eastbound and westbound trains.
If you go all the way to Philadelphia, you can overnight there and see all the fine sights (such as Independence Hall area inc the new Constitution Hall, art museum and boathouse area behind it, Field Museum with its current big-deal King Tut exhibit--has an Amtrak discount, I believe--not to mention 30th St Station itself). Someone in a wheelchair might be able to take a Gray Line bus tour or something like that.
Also, from Philadelphia you can catch a REgional to NYC, Washington DC, etc, the day you arrive, and overnight there instead.
Or, if you are willing to overnight, you could also take the Lakeshore Ltd (or Capitol Ltd) from Cleveland to Chicago. It gets in at a very early time but there are people there and the station is OK. It's also usually late, though, but in to Cleveland and even more so in to Chicago. Once in Chicago, you could catch a western train and overnight on it, or you could overnight in Chicago itself.
The really scenic parts of the western trains are on the SECOND night west, e.g., Denver to Sacramento on the Zephyr, western Montana/Glacier Park on the Empire Builder, New Mexico/Arizona on the SW Chief. However, the Mississippi River run of the Empire Builder is scenic, esp eastbound when the light situation is better, but westbound too this time of year. To see that, it would be best to go to Minneapolis/St Paul and overnight there.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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Snowball - how about taking the Lake Shore Ltd from Cleveland (departs 7 AM) to any station between Syracuse and Albany, NY, stay there for a few hours, then catch the same train (Lake Shore Ltd) back to Cleveland? The only problem is that you will arrive back in Cleveland in the middle of the night.
For a slightly longer trip, you could catch the Capitol Ltd from Cleveland to Washington DC, but again, you would have to leave Cleveland at a terrible hour (2:15 AM scheduled)
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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Houston to Beaumont, thats about 7 hours...kidding.
Too bad you aren't in Texas. The Texas railroad park has steamengine trains running between to towns. You could ride from Rusk to palestine, have lunch, then ride back to Rusk. 4.5 hours total.
Posts: 562 | From: Beaumont Texas | Registered: Jul 2005
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Plenty to do there. Have fun wherever you go.
